Sports

Cikamatana takes strong stand in solidarity with Levuka lifters

Commonwealth Games gold medalist Eileen Cikamatana has taken a strong stand in solidarity with the Levuka Weightlifting Club after it was suspended from all Weightlifting Fiji events.

In an email sent by Cikamatana, she stated that their coach Joe Vueti was the reason for their success and where they are now.

Cikamatana also stated her frustration towards the Weightlifting Fiji board members where four of them have never competed in the sport.

She also stressed 95 per cent of all the Fijian lifters come from Levuka and they could have gone further but Maharaj and the small executive board that he has left, want to run weightlifting their way.

The 18-year-old says she has no intention to be coached by the new Iranian coach Hossein Tavakoli since he has never coached a women weightlifter as Iranian women are not even allowed to go and watch sport.

She says Iran has never had women weightlifters for the last 31 years and yet Maharaj wants the Fijian girls to go and train with him.

She also says they are successful in what they are doing and they are now free to make their own choices.

Cikamatana adds she had pulled out of the Oceania Championships as have 21 other Fijian lifters and she also pulled out of the World Juniors and she has no chance of competing at the World Seniors either.